Vulnerabilities in current mannequin of long-term care highlighted

Irish Gerontological Society welcomes focus of the Expert Panel Report on Covid-19 and Nursing Homes

Dr Diarmuid O’Shea

The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed many of the pre-existing vulnerabilities in the existing model of long-term care delivery for frail older people in Ireland, believes the President of the Irish Gerontological Society.

In many respects, Dr Diarmuid O’Shea described the true “front-line” of the Covid-19 pandemic as occurring in nursing homes, with almost 1,000 and many other staff and residents becoming severely unwell. He welcomed the focus of the Expert Panel Report on Covid-19 and Nursing Homes on improving care of people with complex care needs.

It had brought a “much-needed focus” on how regulators, healthcare providers, politicians, and society at large must work together to ensure best care and support for those who needed it most, whether that was in their own homes or if they were being cared for in a nursing care facility.

“Given that we were going to be living with this viral pandemic for some time to come, these recommendations must be supported and followed through on urgently,” stressed Dr O’Shea.

He urged concrete support and funding for the recommendations in the report be put in place to enhance and protect the lives of people currently living in residential care settings.

As a society, there was need to reflect on the current care model for frail older people, which often defaulted prematurely towards older people moving from their home to congregated residential care settings as they became frailer.

This happened largely because of limited community resources and alternative supported-living solutions for older people as they aged, and this was neither acceptable, successful, nor sustainable for current and future older citizens, he added. •

valerie.ryan@imt.ie